


Taking Care

by subtextgirl



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 17:38:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14899019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/subtextgirl/pseuds/subtextgirl
Summary: Just a brief filler between Thursday’s and Friday’s episodes (7th & 8th June).





	Taking Care

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not very happy with how this turned out, but I just wanted to get it out of my head...

Balancing a half empty latte in one hand and Leo’s school bag in the other, Rhona shouldered the surgery door, sighing with relief as the key finally slipped into the lock and it shunted open. It was almost six, Leo should have had his tea an hour ago and if she didn’t get a move on, she was going to be late for her own dinner at Pete’s, where she’d currently abandoned her son to complete her errand courtesy of the pile of prescriptions that had somehow ended up in her son’s rucksack rather than the office. Therefore, with the very real threat that the practice surely couldn’t survive yet another regulatory mishap, here she was sneaking back into her own surgery on a damp and miserable Thursday evening when she should be with her boyfriend and son, and a large glass of white wine.

 

And clearly, she wasn’t alone.

 

Trying to control the prickle of fear settling in her spine, Rhona pushed the door open hesitantly. The lights in the reception area were off but the door to the back office was ajar, and she could just about make out the shadow of movement behind it.

 

“Hello?”

 

A loud crash echoed through the building ricocheting through the deserted waiting room in a ripple. For a moment the air fell silent, the only sounds being the pounding of her own pulse in her ears and the fluttering of loose flyers advertising a new worming tablet rustling against the faded felt notice board.

 

Ignoring the discomfort of the hot liquid sloshing over the lip of the cup now gripped in her hand, she was about to back out onto the street when she heard another clang, metallic and heavy, followed by a frenetic stream of expletives that she quickly recognised as emitting from her best friend and now, frequently absent colleague.

 

Abandoning the coffee on the desk, Rhona shook her head at her own dramatization before wiping her hand absently over her jeans as she moved quietly to lean against the door frame. Flicking on the light as she went, she rested casually against the wall as she surveyed the scene before her.

 

“And what did the filing cabinet do to you, missy?”

 

Juddering to life, the overhead strip lit up to reveal a red-faced and heavily breathing Vanessa. At the sudden interruption she turned her head rapidly, blowing a loose stand of hair from her face. Looking down at her right foot, still raised with the hefty metal cabinet between them as its clear target. She shrugged sheepishly before lowering it and meeting Rhona’s eyes contritely.

 

“Sorry.”

 

Caught somewhere between amusement and outright concern, Rhona took in the dishevelled appearance of the woman in front of her. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright. However, the downward turn of her mouth and hunched shoulders suggested a weariness that she was not used to seeing in her usually fiery friend.

 

“Ness?”

 

Vanessa sighed, running a hand through her hair. Her face seemed to flit rapidly through a multitude of emotions and Rhona could practically hear the whir of thoughts accompanying them. Yet, for the life of her, she couldn’t decipher the meaning. It was no mystery that her friend was totally loved up and floating in the enviable bubble of a new relationship, something for which she herself was in no position to judge. Yet as much as she tried, Rhona was unable to fully tamp down the niggle of worry that accompanied too much thought regarding the particular person for whom Vanessa had fallen seemingly head over heels for several months earlier, despite how settled and well, joined at the hip, the two appeared to be. And at this precise moment, she thought, her concern seemed fairly justified. Tabling the analysis for later, she instead smiled gently at the other woman.

 

“Everything alright?”

 

Vanessa watched her quietly. Her teeth worried at her bottom lip, a tell Rhona knew meant she was contemplating something but when she spoke the lightness in her tone seemed force and tight.

 

“I know I haven’t been around much, and I’m sorry, so I thought I’d come and make it up to Pearl by doing some of her filing for her.” She smiled and the embarrassment in it seemed genuine as she chuckled self-consciously. “Which seemed like a really good plan, but then I couldn’t find anything and…”

 

She laughed again but this time it seemed almost choked and Rhona found herself taking a step closer.

 

“And now the stupid thing won’t lock, or close and… and… I really just wanted to help but sometimes you can’t help, and you just have to watch and…”

 

She paused again, swallowing heavily and when she looked back at Rhona it was with big watery eyes.

 

Slightly confused, but deciding it was easier to just go with it, Rhona offered a gentle smile.

 

“It’s fine, Ness. it’s not like anybody died or anything.”

 

At this, Vanessa’s face seemed to crumple, and Rhona drew a sharp breath. “God. Nobody else died, did they?”

 

In obvious reaction to her friend’s momentary panic, Vanessa shook her head quickly in the negative before sniffing and muttering. “Kind of the opposite actually.” As Rhona looked at her questioningly, she rolled her eyes, the same sad smile crossing her face. “Sorry. Just ignore me. It’s been a long day, or couple of weeks, or something.”

 

Her initial amusement now vanished, Rhona reached out resting a soft hand on Vanessa’s shoulder as she sought out her friend’s eyes. “Are you ok, sweetie?”

 

She watched as Vanessa scrunched her eyes closed tightly, but it was too late to stop a stray tear from leaking out.

 

“Oh, Ness.”

 

Without thinking, she reached out pulling her into a firm hug.

 

Vanessa’s frame was stiff against her own, and for a moment she considered just letting go. Resigning herself to the fact that for whatever reason, her friend wasn’t in the frame of mind to talk, she released her hold slightly only to feel a sudden rush of air against her neck followed by the sharp sensation of hot tears seeping into her skin. As she pulled her closer once more, Vanessa appeared to fold, her shoulders hitching as she drew in a shuddering breath. The first sob that hiccupped through her caught Rhona by surprise, her heart clenching at the unexpected ferocity with which her friend was now clinging to her.

 

“Shhh. It’s ok. You’re ok.”

 

Vanessa drew in a couple of shaky breaths before seeming to get herself under control. Pulling away self-consciously, she swiped forcefully at the moisture still pooling in her eyes before grimacing in Rhona’s direction. “Um, sorry about that, yeah.”

 

Feeling her concern ratchet another notch, Rhona focussed on keeping her voice calm as she watched her friend carefully.

 

“Ness. You know if you need to talk about anything… I mean god knows, you’ve done the same for me.... I mean, if you and Charity are having problems….”

 

“Charity’s not a problem.” The response was instantaneous and fierce. For a second Vanessa seemed as surprised as Rhona no doubt looked by the outburst and her expression softened. “Sorry.” She shrugged apologetically. “Charity and I are fine.” This time the smile was genuine. “More than fine.”

 

Rhona mirrored the expression, feeling her own demeanour soften as she saw the look that still adorned the other woman’s face. “Look, I didn’t mean to…. You look really happy. Well other than…” She gestured vaguely with her hand.

 

Vanessa’s stance relaxed, and she tipped her head to one side, silent. For a moment Rhona thought she was going say something else. But instead she smiled warmly, her eyes finding some of their usual light. “Thank you.” Her lips quirked slightly. “I think maybe I needed that.”

 

Quelling once more her concern, Rhona nodded reassuringly. “You’re welcome.”

 

Breaking the moment, Vanessa looked at her watch before swiping a hand roughly under her eyes once again and sighing heavily.

 

“Great. Now I’m late picking up Johnny and Moses and the nursery’s going to have my hide again.” Heaving her bag across her shoulder, she shrugged resignedly. “Oh well, not the first time, and no doubt it won’t be the last.”

 

Throwing one last look over her shoulder, Vanessa yanked up her hood haphazardly, before stepping out into the village. Finally depositing the purloined prescriptions back in the drawer, Rhona flicked off the light, suddenly grateful for the evening’s mishap. Heading back out into the rainy evening, she stopped for a moment, watching as Vanessa made her way back down the street, pausing for a brief moment outside the Woolpack and giving it a long look before shaking her head and striding toward her car. As she locked the door behind her, Rhona made a mental note to check in with Vanessa the following day. But for now, she had a son to feed and a boyfriend to see, and if nothing else, she was safe in the knowledge that no matter what was currently going on with one of her oldest friends, she had never seen Vanessa so nauseatingly in love as she was with Charity Dingle, and everything else would no doubt take care of itself.

 

/end

 


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